Bayman 2026: a triathlon event booming beneath Mont Saint-Michel

For the first time since its launch, all three Bayman triathlon distances will sell out on October 10 and 11. 2,026 triathletes, 29 nationalities, 550 volunteers, and Mont Saint-Michel as the backdrop: a closer look at an event gathering serious momentum.

With 400 athletes signed up for the XXL distance and another 500 still on the waiting list, Bayman 2026 confirms the appetite among triathletes, and endurance athletes more broadly, for long and ultra-long formats. It is the first time in five editions that the event’s longest distance has sold out, several months before registration closes.

XXL capacity increased, then comfortably exceeded

Registration opened in January, and the response quickly confirmed the excitement surrounding this fifth edition. The M distance sold out in January, the L in May, and the XXL reached its new maximum capacity of 400 participants on July 8.

The 2026 edition marks a significant step forward for the XXL. After being capped at 250 participants for the first four editions, 400 athletes will take the start this year, a first since BAYMAN was created.

The event’s international reach is also growing: 12% of participants are coming from abroad, rising to 25% in the XXL field.

A unique course and atmosphere

Swimming 3,800 m in the Couesnon upstream from the dam, with Mont Saint-Michel as the backdrop, riding 180 km through the Manche and Ille-et-Vilaine departments, then heading back towards Mont Saint-Michel and the finish overlooking the bay after a grueling marathon: it is easy to see why this race is in such demand.

Several athletes will be particularly closely watched among the expected field:

In the XXL, French athlete Marine Dulau, winner of BAYMAN 2025, will return to defend her title. She will line up alongside Britain’s Thomas McManners, winner of the IRONMAN Finland 2022.
In the L, Frenchman Antoine Viertaix, winner of IRONMAN 70.3 Vichy 2026, and Dutch athlete Annemarie Rustenburg, 2023 European Long Distance champion in the 30–34 age group, are among those announced. So is Nicolas Gestin, the Paris 2024 Olympic canoe slalom champion, who is also entered in this distance.
In the M, French defending champions Fabian Samson and Océane Le Bris will both be back.

The weekend schedule

Friday, October 9:

Expo village opens; L and XXL race-pack pickup (2:00–7:00 p.m.)

Saturday, October 10:

7:45 a.m.: XXL start
10:15 a.m.: L start
2:10 p.m.: First L finishers
3:55 p.m.: First XXL finishers
7:00 p.m.: Awards ceremony

Sunday, October 11:

10:00 a.m.: M start
11:50 a.m.: First M finishers
12:30 p.m.: Awards ceremony

Follow the race live